Willow Springs, NC
After a few months of transitions, we are finally settling in at our new home. Thus far, it has been entirely pleasant to be here, and with each passing day, I feel that our decision to move here was the right one.
Of course, this is, as always, a developing view as we have not yet begun to look for jobs. However, we have socialized a couple of times, and in these tentative socail interactions, we have felt welcome and accepted. It's amazing to me that in our short time here, we already feel more positivity and acceptance than we ever felt in our torturous five years in Hawaii.
When people ask us why we left, or how we could ever think to leave such a beautiful place, I really feel guilty in having to tell them of all our problems there. It feels like I am ruining their idea of the place by throwing in our reality. At the same time, I feel a bit bad to speak ill of the place; isn't that funny!? Five years of unhappiness at virtually every aspect of that place save the weather, and I actually feel wrong to speak ill of it!
The truth is that I realize the limited scope of our reality there, and that others might find it entirely different from my sad view. I am usually quick to tell people that it is more acceptible for the independently wealthy, the retired, or the student/surfer, living life purely to party. But at the same time, I am equally quick to point out that "locals" are not very accepting of "mainlanders" and that a feeling of racism and anti-outsiderism pervades so much of the interactions, even on a casual basis, with local people.
The truth is that it will take a long time indeed for me to deal with my experience in Hawaii. So much of it was so negative that I shrink from the task of recalling it. What a miserable place it truly was for me! Even now, I still feel a great depth of malevolence for it. So I guess it is best not to speak more on it until I can get a little more perspective. Suffice it to say for now that the only thing of benefit I can admit right now it that we made a great profit on the sale of our house there.
We will have to see if there is anything else more positive I can say about the place. (I still fantasize about it sinking to the bottom of the Pacific though.)
Of course, this is, as always, a developing view as we have not yet begun to look for jobs. However, we have socialized a couple of times, and in these tentative socail interactions, we have felt welcome and accepted. It's amazing to me that in our short time here, we already feel more positivity and acceptance than we ever felt in our torturous five years in Hawaii.
When people ask us why we left, or how we could ever think to leave such a beautiful place, I really feel guilty in having to tell them of all our problems there. It feels like I am ruining their idea of the place by throwing in our reality. At the same time, I feel a bit bad to speak ill of the place; isn't that funny!? Five years of unhappiness at virtually every aspect of that place save the weather, and I actually feel wrong to speak ill of it!
The truth is that I realize the limited scope of our reality there, and that others might find it entirely different from my sad view. I am usually quick to tell people that it is more acceptible for the independently wealthy, the retired, or the student/surfer, living life purely to party. But at the same time, I am equally quick to point out that "locals" are not very accepting of "mainlanders" and that a feeling of racism and anti-outsiderism pervades so much of the interactions, even on a casual basis, with local people.
The truth is that it will take a long time indeed for me to deal with my experience in Hawaii. So much of it was so negative that I shrink from the task of recalling it. What a miserable place it truly was for me! Even now, I still feel a great depth of malevolence for it. So I guess it is best not to speak more on it until I can get a little more perspective. Suffice it to say for now that the only thing of benefit I can admit right now it that we made a great profit on the sale of our house there.
We will have to see if there is anything else more positive I can say about the place. (I still fantasize about it sinking to the bottom of the Pacific though.)
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